Thursday, March 11, 2010

Beauty Secrets Du Jour 3.11.10

I was talking to a co-worker and today and we were discussing beauty secrets. I figured this would be a great post for you all. They are not all specifically makeup tips but beauty in general.

Below is my beauty secret countdown.

10. Kosher Salt. Odd, I know, I use this mixed with Vaseline as a great lip exfoliant. I also mix with olive oil for a facial scrub. This might be harsh for some but I love it, makes my skin like a baby's bottom. This is a great, cheap substitute for my favorite Lush Ocean Salt scrub. Try it out.

9. Laughing. I know this sounds SO cheesy, and if you knew me in person you would know I am anti-cheese. I hate cheese besides the edible kind, that I love. Anyway, there is nothing better than sitting with your best friend and having a gut-busting, knee slapping crazy laughing fit over nothing. Number one, this literally gives you a facial and ab workout (There have been times where I sit with my best friend tears rolling down my face and my cheeks hurting from laughing so hard!), second of all, laughing relieves stress therefor will ultimately decrease signs of aging! In my book this is a WEAPON!

8. Orange toned concealer. This is pretty well known but honestly I would probably never face the world without it. It banishes the blue outta my under-eye circles. I am particularly fond of Makeup Forever's #15. You can also dab an orange based lipstick on under your eyes. I know it sounds bizarre but it works, I know, I have tried it!

6. Coral Lipstick, nothing wakes up your entire complexion like a pop of a universally flattering coral. This could be an orange coral or a pink coral based on your undertones, but there is one out there for you. The most universally flattering one I have found in my search has been Lancome's Chris and Tell. This is a winner!

5. White Eyeliner, not used conventionally of course. We all know the white on the water line trick but that is not what I am talking about here ladies. This is a good one that I learnt a long time ago and have never forgotten it. I use NYX eye pencil in milk for this. I dot it along my under eyes after concealer and then blend with a concealer brush. This is the most effective way that I have learnt to illuminate the under eye circles that seem to never go away on me!

4. Water- Cleansing, purifying, moisturizing. I find when I am feeling sluggish and dull looking, downing tons of water fixes that in a pinch.

3. Vaseline! This is a wonder product. This is great at removing the most stubborn eye makeup. I use it to moisturize my knees, elbows and lips. Lastly, thanks to Laura of Lollipop26's blog I have used this to make my perfume last longer. One more great use for the long living Vaseline.

2. Not to follow trends. What I mean by this is, you must and really have to know what looks good and you and stick with it. I live by this, I embrace and love trends however, I know that purple does not work on my lips, no matter how much I love it!

1. GREEN TEA. I know semi weird but green tea is the elixir to my life. I have a few uses, number one I drink a glass every morning to wake me up and get my metabolism (can also be used as a natural laxative, gross I know.) moving. In the winter I drink it hot and in the summer I brew it and put it in a big plastic thing and turn it into iced tea, it is AMAZING with peaches in it or lemon. Green tea has powerful antioxidants and is fat free, it also is the only tea that has been proven to have weight loss effects, always a plus. The second way I use it is in the morning two wet tea bags on my eyes, de-puffs in an instant from the caffeine, the natural way. Now, I am VERY picky about my green tea, it must be a certain brand, AUTHENTIC green tea, no celestial seasons crap! My most trusted brand is YAMAMOTOYAMA. It is the PURE green tea, this is a murky opaque green, its the good ish! Google it, buy it! You can find it HERE. I actually buy it in bulk, 90 bags for $14.50

I would love to hear your comments and your own suggestions.I hope you have found this useful!

I live in NY too. I grew up in downtown Manhattan, I lived on South st next to the South Street Seaport. Now I live in Long Island which is a whole different world, I miss the city. I had my beloved Sephora on almost every street corner, now I have to drive to the local mall to find one, that's sad. I miss the the Village, great shopping! Very good tips, I am an avid green tea drinker myself. Great blog! Check me out at emanticoff.blogspot.com (Prettyinpinkgloss). I have some tips myself. Chow for now.

Yes I recently added Green Tea to my routine. I try to drink at least one cup in the morning. Maybe that's how I dropped 4lbs? Well that and sweating away 5x a week at the gym. I am also getting my first Spa treatment that will involve raw sugar and coconut. Yes, I am a coconut lover too! White eyeliner is too stark for me so I use UD's Underground liner - it's a subtle brightener for me! And yes, I have boarded the CORAL train and never looked back well at least till Winter comes around again!

Beauty of The Day: About Me

Why Belle Du Jour? It means quite literally, Beauty Of The Day and this is my corner of the universe where I talk about all things beautiful, be it cosmetics, fashion, travel, jewelry and lifestyle.
A twenty-something year old in the Fashion, Beauty and PR industry living, breathing and obsessing over all things beautiful in Manhattan, New York.